Clinical

A viral stomach bug has people vomiting and complaining of diarrhea and fever in Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri—and it’s spreading fast, according to health officials there. Symptoms are self-limiting and last approximately 1–3 days, but have been causing serious dehydration in some patients. Recommended supportive care includes rest, increased fluid intake, and acetaminophen. Because the virus is spread through person-to-person contact, patients should be advised to avoid hugging, shaking hands, and any touching unless necessary. …

The “pain scale” is a standard tool to help patients quantify their level of discomfort so you can administer the appropriate degree of pain relief. The problem is, it doesn’t necessarily work. Some patients may overstate their pain to game the system and get a prescription; with the opiate crisis still raging throughout the country, the consequence of this could literally by deadline. On the other extreme, stoic types may not want to admit they’re …

The case of a woman in Colorado who played Good Samaritan to an animal she was concerned about, only to later be diagnosed with rabies, serves as a reminder that any interaction with wildlife can carry risks for disease that could require immediate treatment. For clinicians, that means remaining vigilant and asking the right questions when patients present with symptoms that may seem to appear without explanation. The Colorado woman was concerned about the welfare …